Sunday, May 04, 2008

LEVERAGE Weeks 4+5

Sorry for the long downtime -- my posting day was consumed with travel last weekend.

Right then. Last we left you as we entered Week 4, four writers were submitting outlines to Dean Devlin, who is our studio, kind of. When there's no studio building, no automatic door closers and no bottled water, I'm not sure it's actually a studio. But he's it.

Dean is at the time on location shooting a web-series on the dead sexy Sony XDCAM. Having now seen this footage, even untweaked, I can say with some assurance that this camera is king of the prosumer cameras. Besides being light and fast, they shoot ridiculously well at night, thanks to a design hink in the chip. Storage is rock solid -- they never lost a shot in 12 days of shooting -- and the workflow's a breeze. They don't take primes but you can do a hell of a lot with them.

While Dean was reading the outlines out on location, the network did testing on the series name. Now, you'd think that a show's title is pretty locked up from Day One, but actually many TV titles wind up coming back from the testing bin. (For example, Pushing Daisies was originally called Murder Mysteries In the Vividly Chromatic Land of the Ambiguously Gay Zombie-Making Twee Lord) This is one of the few times I don't mind testing -- you only get one impression in today's insane media marketplace, and we don't want people thinking "You know, I'm in the mood for a funny heist action show, but unfortunately all that's on is this 'LEVERAGE', which I'm going to assume is some sort of home mortgage drama." Click.

So the room cooks up a half-dozen or so more titles and tosses them into the test bin. This is always tricky, as each title has to be one you could conceivably live with for 100 episodes without wincing. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, however, the results come in -- we're still LEVERAGE. Thank God, because I already had the crew underwear made ...

Also while waiting, we attack another story -- one of mine to script. As soon as the strike was over and we heard we got picked up, I went to a pub with a pad of paper, had myself a Guinness and crisps, and wrote down every idea I could come up with. No censorship, no limits. Just bang on, in two categories : "Scenes I Want to See" and "Things They Can Steal". Four Guiness and an equal number of pages later, I tuck my 80-odd scribbles into a briefcase and leave them until March, when Chris and I are reading the 210 scripts. In order to stay sane we pull out our respective Idea Lists, take a few breaks poring over ideas and soft-breaking a few stories. (By "soft break" I mean just the bare bones plot idea, the act breaks, and the big turn). These were filed until we had writers quorum, and at the very least primed the pump.

I can't go into much detail, as it is a "twist" show, so hopefully we'll have some good stuff for the podcasts. It may illustrative, however, of the creative process to track at least the nub of one idea: I'd written "Scandal in Bohemia" on the List, and was transferring it to an index card when Chris asked what it meant.

"Sherlock Holmes story. Holmes pretends to be a minister, starts a fire during a wedding to figure out where blackmail letters are hidden."

Now, I'd been thinking about the specific mystery mechanic, but then Chris said, "You know, Tim Hutton would be pretty funny as a minister or priest." Hmm, I had a wedding note in my files, just a scam but with no plot ... but spot-welding Chris's sideways take on Scandal with my unrelated note, we wound up with what's already one of our favorite scripts of the year.

Midweek Dean calls with the notes. We shelve my ep, run the notes past the writers, and we turn them loose to work. Again, the point is to keep the documents in their hand as much and as long as possible. I wind up on a plane Friday, and then it's Week 5.

Interestingly, Dean pitches an episode nugget while I'm wheeling my luggage through the Toronto airport. The room loves the high concept idea and Chris runs with it, breaking the story with the other writers. Since I'm already a day behind by the time I get back, we divide labor -- I'll tweak the three writer's outlines we have in, standardizing them in tone and structure, while Chris and the room continue to break the story. The fourth outline is put on a shelf for a week while we try to figure out how to make one specific change.

This outline rewrite is a brutal test of my Asshole Threshold. You have to understand, there's always an enormous amount of arrogance involved with writing. Writing, as I've said before, is the art of making choices* Empty page. Nothing but infinite choices. And after X number of years, you have to be pretty confident in your choices -- insanely so, actually -- or you simply can't function as a writer.

So, once you're the showrunner, with nigh-infinite right and power to rewrite every other writer who crosses your desk ... gaaaaaah. Even when the writing is as good as these outlines were, it's still not precisely the cadence, the jokes, the structure that's ... anyway. Many showrunners rewrite every script, and while I can certainly understand the urge I know that part of doing this job is learning to let go and trust the process and the people I hired. As I mentioned these outlines were already all pretty close, which helps me resist the dickish urge to pee on the documents excessively (somewhere, my hard-done-by staff is sorting in derision).

The docs go back to Dean. While Dean rereads, I go back in the room and find out what they've been up to. Chris has got the show broken down into Sequences -- what I'd call the orange cards, but the room uses some sort of bastardized semi-detailed pink cards ... I swallow my horror, hear the pitch and enjoy it immensely. It's neat hearing a story when you've not been in the sausage factory with it. Probably the closest I'll ever be to an actual viewer.

Along the way we have a production meeting: figuring out candidates for the UPM, briefing the other department heads on script status, talking physical production and distribution and editing and publicity ... show business, folks.

Dean bounces back after that with notes on the newest revisions of the outlines. He then goes down to hear Chris pitch out the new story. Chris, frankly, then knocks it out of the park. Another interesting thing about the room: seeing all the techniques. I pitch like a stand-up -- fast, hit the jokes, rely on the timing, lots of judgement calls on what's needed and not. Chris used to be a lwayer. He presents the episode almost like a brief or summation. Still funny of course, but concise, bullet-points off typewritten pages. His rhythm is more a steady boom boom boom leading you from beginning to end in a very low, confident tone.

Dean signs off, and a writer picks up the story to bring to outline. One of the three revised outlines passes with flying colors, the other two need just one more tweak before heading off to network. Those outlines are tabled for Monday, as we're now at Friday, or what Chris and I have determined is Freelancer Day.

We're not taking open pitches -- not this year anyway. With luck, next year. Most of these pitches are people we almost hired, but just didn't fit into the cable money/room size matrix. We hear a half-dozen writers pitch story ideas in varying detail. Neatly enough, there's some duplication. I take this as a good thing -- if the same emotional beats and relationships ping with separate writers, that means they're well-established enough in the pilot for the viewer to attach themselves.

Meanwhile, the writer's room takes the day to break that newest episode down to fine scene detail, all under the command of our ranking writer. I know, I know, "command' is a silly word for it, but that's just part of the bit ... because. my friends, our staff is so damn geeky, that when I leave the room to work on other stuff, I cannot help but announce "I'll be back in an hour. Berg ... you have the bridge."

All these outlines, putting them down and picking them up a few days later, etc. all seems a bit mad, but it's crucial to keep your scripts flowing. As every script has its own development tempo, there's going to be a lot of overlap. We keep the script status straight on a whiteboard with four categories carved out.

"First Base: story idea to be brokenSecond Base: broken into scenes/sequencesThird Base: writer outliningHome Run: writer out to script"

The scripts move through this cycle at their own pace. One story fell into place in one day. Some have been hammered out over two weeks. Some will stall somewhere, stranded on base.

Right then, that brings us to the end of Week 5. Even leaving out the arbitration I'm embroiled in because somebody out there doesn't want to share their $4.58 cable MOW residual check, it's been a bit busy. As always drop any questions you have inthe Comments, and I'll do my best to give you a constructive answer in the next week's post. Let's see what I missed from last time ...

Michael: Is it net-acceptable yet to write a crossover fanfic where the female characters of Leverage get it on with Boomer from BSG and Claire from Heroes? Let me know so I can set aside some time to work on it.

Throw in Torchwood -- but the 1918 version - and I'd say you have an obligation, sirah.

Have I told my fanfic story? It involves Michelle Forbes and Warren Ellis and booze ... hmm next time if I have't already.

Jason Mitchelitch:" I mean, come on, what sentient being can ride in a Hummer limo and not be cognizant of their karmic debt?"

Is this really such a rare thing out there? I feel like I see them all the time. Of course, I'm from Northern VA, where hummer limos are what the rich kids take to the prom. I imagine there are a fleet of them in employ in Dallas, TX at any given time, as well.

Yes. Some rich kids do take them to the prom. And those rich kids are douchebags. Don't make me break out the Venn Diagram.

Mr. Glenn (spouse of baby writer): I say YES to the video blog idea. Then I can see my "sugar momma" all day!

Don't pull your FLDS cult discipline crap on my show, mister. She's out from your Svengali influence in the room and it will continue to be a safe place!

Ahhh, newlyweds.

I hope to have a few interim posts up this week. Take care, all. It's getting a bit freaky out there ...

* Oddly, this is the central idea of the movie Wonder Boys, which I didnt see until years after I'd already cooked up my half-assed theory. Great movie, by the way.

87 comments:

Any chance you can satisfy my geek Brit need-to-learn-this-stuff osity and (sometime when you're allowed to?) post all the different card types, notes, and the finished script for one episode, so we can all see exactly how it's done?

I've got a question for you--Who works on the opening credits sequence, and when? Most seem hacked together at the last minute with random images, but some ("Dexter", "Dead Like Me") are truly works of art in their own right.

My wife and some friends were in Jacksonville this weekend doing the married but childless out of towner party thing. It also happened to be prom weekend and so we watched in glee and disgust as about fifty atrociously dressed teenagers piled out of stretch hummer limos into the restaurant where we were dining. I've never been closer to an act of terrorism in my life. I just think that stretch hummer limos should be set on fire, preferably with the people renting them still inside. Is that evil?

when it comes time to shoot the scene with the stretch hummer limos, I have a costume note: yellow tuxedo with a black shirt. Over the top you say? Verisimilitude, says I.

"Writing, as I've said before, is the art of making choices* Empty page. Nothing but infinite choices. And after X number of years, you have to be pretty confident in your choices -- insanely so, actually -- or you simply can't function as a writer."

Damn, John. In a heart beat, you lay out the core of the problem I've had getting all the pretty pictures in my head onto the paper, *and* explain why I'm always so much more comfortable writing in someone else's world (namely: a lot of the big choices have already been made.)

Now I just have to figure out how to get past that. Is there a pill I can take to fix it?

This is probably going to be one of those things that require hard work and dedication to change, isn't it?

It's not quite the same, and not quite as detailed, but back when Michael Piller was running The Dead Zone, they would post the treatment and shooting script for each episode on the website. Maybe check that out while we're waiting for our host to be allowed to post his stuff?

@anonymous and mikecane:

A partial answer from Lee Goldberg's blog (which Rogers has linked on his sidebar):

Main Titles create an emotional link between the viewer and the show. But for a writer, they are so much more. Here is an excerpt from SUCCESSFUL TELEVISION WRITING, the book I wrote with William Rabkin. The excerpt will be followed an example, along with text from the book.

Main titles are created to introduce the audience to the show they are about to see. But for the writer, there is much more information to be gleaned. It is a chance to read the mind of the executive producer. How does he perceive the show? How does he perceive the characters?

How does he perceives the tone? What kinds of stories does he want to tell? Most main title sequences will answer all those questions and more.

There are basically three different kinds of main title sequences: Format sequences, that actually tell you in narration and in writing what the show is about; Mood sequences that convey the type of feeling and tone they are going for; and Character sequences, which delineate who the characters are and how they interact. Many main titles are combinations of these three sequences.

Since TV changes so fast, we’ve chosen some examples from some established series you probably know very well and, if not, can easily find in reruns...

I work in reality tv (post production, writing on the side) and I have to say the XD Cam is awesome. Excellent bang for your buck, and it's great to post with. (To be honest, I just love them because I don't have to fast forward/rewind - I just chapter skip. So amazing.)

I'm really enjoying this. I'm not a creative type (unless you count coding), but I'm fascinated by the process of creation, from the "wouldn't it be cool" inspiration through the nuts-n-bolts hard work of actually making something work. Way cool.

senor rogers, you might be pleased to find that there is a way by which your beloved sony can shoot with primes. redrock has a flipping amazing system that i am currently lusting over for my canon xha1. hell, redrock will even outfit my canon hv20 (which i might add is a freaking stunning little camera, i was shooting without lights in st. mungo's crypt in glasgow cathedral the footage is ridiculous. where the sensors dealt with the low light by producing what looks like cine noir film grain. for the money there is no better camera anywhere.oh and the next gen, the hv30). anyway, a friend of mine outfitted himself with the redrock system for his panasonic and the footage is sick. all the clarity of high def and the depth of field of primes using your 35mm camera lens. oh toys, how i love toys.

You're right. The Dead Zone is no longer listed on USA's main page. Fortunately, I bookmarked the Writers Guides, but I'm pretty sure this URL will be truncated, too, so pardon the format:

www.usanetwork.com/series/

thedeadzone/behindthescenes/

writersguide/index.html

You'll have to c/p that into one continuous line yourself.

From that page, if you hover your cursor over "the show" and then click "episode guide", you'll be taken to the episode archive. Most of the earlier episodes--through Season 5?--should have links to the treatment and script for that episode. (I just checked the Season 2 episode "Zion" and the pdfs were still there.)

Hold on now, Rogers. If there's a fanfic fantasy going on, I tossed my oversized jaunty Guinan beret into the ring for fair Michelle Forbes way back on stardate 5/6/1991. When I wasn't even legal.

Don't be having fictional Ellis steal my woman, unless I get to join in...

Oh, and is it good geeky that I say "You have the bridge" to my empty apartment? Or bad geeky, like that drivers license picture I had taken in my ensign shirt back in 1993 where I look like Dana Delany...

Quick thought-was it reverse sex discrimination, all those jokes about DICK Cheney?You know, DICK?Would it make you all feel better if we called Hillary a DICK?Okay, Hillary is a DICK and an ASSHOLE. These words have been co-opted by hated men, it's time to open the door.As a woman, I am DISGUSTED by these weak, weak, pitiful ASSHOLE "feminists" who see Hillary as the embodiment of female power and they have essentially been de-clitorized because she lost the election.I saw a black kid wearing a shirt that said "I'm black and I'm proud" with a pic of Obama on it. I wanted to take that shirt off that kid and help her understand that Obama does not stand for that kind of crap (but...I'm white, so it might have been a little weird)-Obama would never endorse such a shirt.I thought a couple of months ago that Hillary would never endorse the supposed "feminist" behavior of these women who give meaning to the word HYSTERIA but she, the ASSHOLE, has proved me wrong. Disgusting. These women are NOT the majority of women, they are the combined efforts of a morally inert and policy unaware women and...tada...operation chaos. Limbaugh put out the call for ditto heads to protest the sexist dnc. A pathetic combo, and no threat to the real task of fixing this country.